Worship | August 23, 2026
Preacher | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "Everything Happens . . ."
Scripture | Romans 8:26-28
Sermon Series | Paul's Hopeful Struggle | Part 2
Guest Musicians | Glen Alexander, fiddle | Chase Killough, guitar | Brandi Nolish, cello | Jim Brock, percussion
Does everything really happen for a reason?
Romans 8:28 is one of the most quoted and often misunderstood passages in Scripture. Too often, it's been used to explain suffering in ways that bring more pain than hope.
This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore invites us to hear Paul's words with fresh ears. God is not the cause of every hardship we endure. Rather, in the midst of life's joys and tragedies alike, God is always at work, bringing healing, hope, and the possibility of good.
Immediately following worship, continue the conversation at Sermon Talk Back, a beloved Myers Park Covenant Church tradition where questions, insights, and real-world connections are welcomed in an open and thoughtful discussion.
#MPCC #PaulsHopefulStruggle #Romans8 #FaithAndHope #SundayWorship
Worship | August 16, 2026 | Pride Sunday
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Preacher | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | The First Non-Jewish Christian
Scripture | Acts 8:26-40
Celebrating | Pride Sunday
Who was the first non-Jewish person welcomed into the Christian faith?
In Acts, Philip encounters an Ethiopian eunuch, someone who lived outside the boundaries of what society considered "normal." Yet before asking anyone else's permission, Philip baptizes him, offering a powerful witness to the wideness of God's welcome.
This Sunday, as we celebrate Pride Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore reflects on this remarkable story and considers what it means for the Church's ongoing call to practice radical inclusion.
Worship | August 9, 2026
Preaching | Rev. Nancy Sehested
Sermon | "The Sage-ing Journey with Naomi"
Scripture | Ruth 4:13-17
Celebrating | Sage-ing Sunday
Guest Musicians | Gay Men's Chorus of Charlotte | Jordan Greene, vocal soloist | Addrian Fullerwinder, vocal soloist | David Young, vocal soloist | Zachary Hugo, vocal soloist | Claudio Olivera, piano | Matthew Tully, percussion | John Quillin, conductor
Grief is never the end of the story.
Naomi's journey through loss led her to unexpected companions, renewed purpose, and a future she never imagined. Ruth's story reminds us that even after profound sorrow, there is still life to be discovered.
As we celebrate Sage-ing Sunday, Rev. Nancy Sehested reflects on the wisdom that comes with aging, the gifts of faithful companionship, and the surprising ways hope can emerge from seasons of grief.
"There is a strange intimacy between grief and aliveness." — Francis Weller, The Wild Edge of Sorrow
#MPCovenant #SageingSunday #BookOfRuth #HopeAfterLoss #SundayWorship #FreePulpi
Worship | August 2, 2026
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "Living What We Believe"
Scripture | Matthew 16:21-28
Celebrating | Communion
Guest Musicians | Bethany Wherry, Claudio Olivera, Jim Brock, Paul Agee
What does it mean to live what we believe?
Jesus' answer is challenging. It means taking up our cross and following him. Not simply affirming values but embodying them.
In a culture that often prioritizes individualism, Jesus calls us into a deeper understanding of connection. Our lives are intertwined with one another, with our communities, and with all creation.
This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore explores why faith must be lived, not merely professed, and what it means to build communities that reflect our deepest convictions.
Part 4 of our series, Being a Liberal, 21st Century Church, considers how community shapes who we are and how we live.
#MyersParkCovenantChurch #BeingALiberal21stCenturyChurch #Community #Matthew16 #FaithInAction #SundayWorship
Worship | July 26, 2026
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "Ministry for This Life"
Scripture | Matthew 14:13-21
What good is faith if it never leaves the sanctuary?
When the disciples wanted to send the crowd away, Jesus had a different idea: feed them.
The feeding of the five thousand reminds us that faith is more than belief. It is something we practice. The Reign of God is not only about what comes next. It is about bringing healing, hope, justice, and compassion into the world right now.
This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore explores what it means to be a church whose ministry makes a difference in this life.
Part 3 of our series, Being a Liberal, 21st Century Church, considers how justice becomes a lived expression of faith.
#BeingALiberal21stCenturyChurch #Justice #Matthew14 #FaithInAction #SundayWorship
Worship | July 19, 2026
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "Listening Creates Inclusivity"
Scripture | Matthew 15:21-28
Guest Musicians | Mark and Maggie O'Connor
Guest Conductor | Dr. Katherine Kinsey
Listening sounds simple. It rarely is.
In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus encounters a woman from another culture whose persistence challenges assumptions and expands understanding. What begins as a difficult conversation becomes an invitation to deeper grace.
This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore explores how genuine inclusivity requires more than welcome. It requires listening, humility, and openness to voices that may change us.
Part 2 of our series, Being a Liberal, 21st Century Church, considers how listening creates inclusivity.
#MPBC #BeingALiberal21stCenturyChurch #Inclusivity #Matthew15 #ProgressiveChristianity #SundayWorship
Worship | July 12, 2026
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "Bold Declarations"
Scripture | Matthew 16:13-20
Guest Speaker | Erkam Adiguzel
What happens when faith encounters new understanding?
Peter's declaration about Jesus was bold, but it was also incomplete. He saw something true before he fully understood it. This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore explores how progressive Christians continue to seek new light, ask new questions, and remain open to the ways God is still at work in an ever-changing world.
Part 1 of our series, "Being a Liberal, 21st Century Church," considers why lifelong learning and spiritual curiosity remain essential to faith.
#MPBC #BeingALiberal21stCenturyChurch #ProgressiveChristianity #Spirituality #Matthew16 #SundayWorship
Worship | July 5, 2026
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard
Sermon | "Prophets, Little Ones, and "A Cup of Cool"
Scripture | Matthew 10:40-42
Music | Raymond Weidner, piano | Jarret Ward, baritone
What difference can a simple act of kindness make? In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that even the smallest gestures of welcome, compassion, and care can become sacred acts that reflect God’s love in the world. This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard explores what prophets, little ones, and even a cup of cool water can teach us about faithful living.
Following worship, Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard will lead a forum on “The State of Protestantism” at 11:15 a.m. in Heaton Hall. All are welcome.
#MPBC #Matthew10 #FaithInAction #SundayWorship #CupOfCoolWater
Worship | June 28, 2026
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "The Cost and Opportunity of Painful Decisions"
Scripture | Genesis 22:1-18
Music | Madeline Olivera, David Young, Janice Bradner, Dr. Matthew Manwarren
Life is full of painful decisions.
Some are shaped by circumstance, competing priorities, uncertainty, or fear. We wrestle with what is right, what is necessary, and where God might be present in the middle of it all.
People are often shocked when they read the story of Isaac’s (almost) sacrifice. But Abraham has already sacrificed one son—Ishmael—what’s the big deal about sacrificing a second? We should read the story in its pre-scientific context, not flatly in our post-modern world or we will never get past the shock of the story. And let’s be honest for a bit. There are many parents, spouses that sacrifice their children and/or spouse on the altar of a career. A little less barbaric, maybe, but no less damaging.
Life is full of painful decisions. Decisions forced upon us by circumstance, or aging, or the odds of competing interests—decisions that often are depicted as win-lose, or the least of two evils. We agonize over such decisions as Abraham agonized over the decision about Isaac. We wonder what God’s will is in such decisions? What is the right choice, the best choice?
In such decisions—for our lives and in this church—there are costs, even as there are opportunities. Where is God working as we navigate such decisions?
This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore reflects on Abraham and Isaac’s difficult story and what it reveals about the cost, complexity, and possibility found within life’s hardest decisions.
During worship you will experience a special presentation of Benjamin Britten’s Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac which offers a powerful, intimate encounter with a familiar story, inviting us to experience it anew. This 16-minute work for alto, tenor, and piano weaves together music and storytelling to bring the biblical account of Abraham and Isaac vividly to life. We hope you will join us for this special offering—one that promises to inspire reflection, deepen connection, and stir the spirit.
Worship | June 21, 2026
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Tim Moore
Sermon | "The Pain of Betrayal"
Scripture | Genesis 21:8-21
Music | MPBC Vocal Ensemble led by nationally renowned conductor and singer, Jason Dungee
Betrayal changes people. It reshapes relationships, trust, and the stories we carry.
Hagar’s story is one of pain, abandonment, and survival, yet even in the wilderness, God does not leave her unseen or unheard.
This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Tim Moore reflects on the pain of betrayal and how God continues to meet people in lives marked by loss and brokenness.
Hagar’s story is troubling on many levels. A slave girl to Sarah and Abraham who was chosen to bare a child for Sarah and give Abraham an heir. Was she given agency in this decision, or was it decided for her? She is the first surrogate mentioned in the Bible, a woman used for her uterus. Ishmael is 14 when Isaac is born and the family dynamics change dramatically.
Sarah decides that Hagar and Ishmael must be banished so that her son, Isaac, will become Abraham’s primary heir. Abraham tragically agrees. He sacrifices his son, Ishmael, sending him and his mother, Hagar, away—off in the desert with few provisions where they may die.
When has betrayal marked your life, this church’s life? How does God work in lives broken by betrayal?